Exercising machine



Feb. 28, 1933. D B L 1,899,255

axaacxsme MACHINE,

Filed Dec. .24, 1930 4 INVENTOR, JOSEPH D. BELL.

Burg

Y be stimulated to activity and a Patented Feb. 28 ,1 1933 JOSEPH 1); BELL, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORnIA.

nxEBorsINe MACHINE Application filed December 4=,'1930.' Serial No. )4;599.

' This invention relates particularly toan apparatus for exercising the human body and which will promote movement-of the muscular system of the body and induce a greater than normal circulation of the blood stream throughout the body, whereby w any under nourish'ed part oryportion of the body will resultant healthful up-building of the body. I

Anobject-of the invention is to provide an exercising device, shaped somewhatlike a chair, and having a pair of spaced supports for the buttocks and feet, 'which'support is adapted to be rockedin'a vertical plane about a horizontal axis by movement of the body,

provided on the upper side of each of the and the rocking movement of the support is transmitted through a systemrofinterconnecting' links and levers 'toa fly wheel structure which, when rotated, .willaccumulate sufficient momentumflto continue" rocking movement of-the supportfor a short period of time-after the person seated on the sup- 1 port has ceased rocking movement."

A further object of the invention is to provide. in an exercising machine, "a (rocking support which is operatively connected to a rotating structure, which is adapt- H ed tobe actuated by the shifting of the weight of a person on the seat, iniconjunction with a flexible support forholdingthe'head of a person in a selected position, to" prevent movement of'the person?s head rearwardly of,

a certain point as the legs are moved for- A 3 wardly to accomplish rocking movement of' the seat.

- Other objects and advantagesare to pro- "vide an exercising'apparatus that'will be superior in point of simplicity, inexpensiveness of construction, positivenessof operation, I and facility and convenience "'eral efliclency.

In this specification. and l the annexed drawing,-- the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best, butit is tobe understood that the inventionis -notllimited to such form, because it may: be embodied in'other forms; and it is also to be understood that in andby the claims following the (18-:

scription, it isdesired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may beembodied. j

to illustrate in use andgen- 3 in? v a ig, 1 represents a perspective View of an exercising of. I V

In detail theconstruction illustrated in the drawing comprises a pair of spaced parallel side members .1 and ZECOIIIIGCtBd across the rear end thereof by a back 3,-the sides and ack thus described being shaped'some-what the same design as an easy chair. A base 4 is provided along the bottomof each of the sidewalls land 2. A hearing support 5 is bases 4, at corresponding points'thereon.

'- A pair of U-shaped bars 6 and 7 forming,"

the body-support,.are connected together at one end by a seat-8 and. at the opposite end o follows that of the upper edge of the side walls 1 and 2 so that said bars might be concealed within the plane of said side Walls.

machine constructed in oaccorldance with my invention, partly broken away I the lnterlor construction therer A bracket 26 depends from the underside I of each of the'side bars 6 and 7 midway be-- tween the ends thereof, and each of said v brackets is connected bya pivot 27 to eachof the bearing supports 5 on the respective side members 1 and 2.

Each of "the opposite legs 10 of the U,- shaped foot support!) are pivotally mounted on the ends of the bars 6 and 7to permit the sameto swing. A foots'upporting member 11 'is adjustablymounted on each legiofthe support '9. p p a v A crankshaft 12 is journaled at each of its opposite ends in bearings 13 mounted on the bases 4 of each'of the side members. Each end of the crank shaft 12 is formed as :an eccentric tooprovide a pair of crank throws 14 and 15. Theouter crank throw 15 is pivot- 1 ally connected bya link 16 toa pivot 17 on one of the legs ofthe foot support 9. A sprocket 20 is keyed onto the shaft 12;

AJcross bar 18 is journaled transversely v between the side bars 6 and 7 ,adjacent the seat 8, the crossbar 18 having the ends thereof j bent down tolfo'rm vertically disposed legs each side member, so that when 1n operative 19, each of which are journaled to the inner throw 14: of the crank shaft. A shaft 21 is journaled in bearings 22 on the bases 4 forwardly of the crank shaft 12. fly wheel 23 is fixedly mounted on each of the ends of the shaft 21. A sprocket 24 is provided on the shaft 21 between the ends thereof, and a belt or chain 25 connects the respective sprockets 20 and 2a.

In operation the person taking exercise, sits on the rocking'seat 8' and places the feet upon the cross bar of the foot rest 9. p The feet are then shifted forwardly against the foot support, and the weight of the body is also shifted forwardly, so that a downward force is exerted upon the foot bar, which causes the link 16 to be pulled forwardly, and this pull is transmitted to the throws on the crank shaft to cause the crank shaft to be revolved and thefly wheellikewise, to be revolved in unison therewith. The pressure of the feet against the foot bar 9 causes the interconnected side bars 6 and 7 to rock in a vertical direction on the horizontal axis of the pivot pins 27 so that the forward end of the said bars 6 and 7 will move in a downward are, as the foot supporting bar 9 is urged forwardly. hen the foot supporting bar 9 has reached the limit of its forward swinging movement, and the forward end of the v 7 have reached the limit' of their downward movement, the seat end of rocking bars 6 and the said rockingbar will have reached the limitof its upward movement. At this time the pressure of the feet applied against the foot supporting bar is released and the weight of the person allowed to be directed entirely onto the seat end of the rocking bars 6 and 7, to apply the said persons weight downwardly through the legs 19 onto the throws on the crank shaft and to continue the rotative movement of the crank shaft initiated by the links 16. The rocking action of the side bars 6 and 7 is then continued by repeated and successive applications of foot pressure and weight to the opposite endsof the rocking members. The fly wheels 23 after continued rotation, accumulate sufficient momentum to continue the rocking action of the members 6 and 7 ,after the individual seatedthereon has ceased applying pressure and weight thereto. r

A. hand grip 30 is bar glen the forward endof each members'l' and 2. at 32 and slidably mounted on a pin 33 on of the side use, the hand grip can be raised into an elevated position and when not in operation, can be placed in a position of reston top'of the outside face of eachside member. Each handgrip 30' may be used by a person seated on the rocking member for holding the persons body in a' fixed position on the seat when applying the foot pressurefto the foot supwhat I claim and'desire to ting on themember mounted on a carrying The member 81 is slotted porting bar 9, or the said hand grip 30 may be used as a point to and from which the body may be moved by the arms, either when using the feet to actuate the rocking member or independently thereof.

Av flexible support 3a is provided to engage the head of a person seated on the rocking member, said head support being connected by straps to the hand grips 30. The head supporting member 34: has been found to be very effective to maintain the head in a set position against rearward movement as the legs are urged forwardly against the foot supporting bar 9. When the head support 34 is utilized to hold the body in. a predetermined position,- it is necessaryto maintain the muscles of the back, neck and head in a relatively stiff upright :osition and to resist the strain or pressure and head muscles, during the periods when the feet are. being moved forwardly, followed by the relaxing of the body, neck and head muscles when the pressure applied" through the legs and feet is released, induces an active movement of the muscles and of the blood stream which is highly beneficial to the person operating the apparatus.

The sudden flexing of the muscles out the body of a person operating my apparatus, causes a sluggish blood stream to become active and as a result impurities and other toxic conditions in the body and in the blood stream are caused to be eliminated.

Having thus described this invention,

secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an exercising device,

person: in a sitting position; means on the member actuated by forward movement of the legs of the sitting person to rock the member onits pivotal axis; and a flexible support associated with a stationary part of the device to engage the head of a person sitto hold the head against rearward movement as the legs are moved forwardly.

2. In an exercising device, a seat frame adapted to be alternately raised and lowered in an arcuate path;

a support for the feet the forward end of the swingingly secured to seat frame; means actuated by swinging movement of said foot support to raise and lower the seat frame; and a flexible head support associated with a stationary part of the device to hold the head in a set position against rearward movement as the feet push the foot support. frame.

3. An exercising machine including a base; a pair of bars arranged in spaced parallel relation on said base; means pivotally connecting the. base to the bars at a point midthrougha member to rock on a horizontal axis and to support a forwardly to raise the seat way between the-ends thereof; a seat connectpair of horizontally disposed links each hav- 7 end thereof; a pair of vertically disposed ing one end thereof pivotally connected to the foot support on opposite endsthereof and the other end of each of said links swivend of said frame adjacent the hand support;

a support for the buttocks'at the other end of said frame; an extension member secured to the hand support and having its other endin a position to'be engaged by the head of a person seated on the frame, whereby the head exerts a pulling pressure rearwardly against the extension member as the feet exert a pressure forwardly against the foot sup ports p 7 In testimon whereof, I havehereunto set my hand at an Francisco, 8th day of September, 1930..

elly connected to corresponding throws .on opposite ends of the crank shaft. 1 n exercising machine including a base;

a pair of bars arrangedin spaced parallel relation on said base; means pivotally connecting the base tothe bars at a point midway between the ends thereof; ar'seat connecting the pair of bars at one end thereof;

a foot support pivotally connected to the other end of the barsand depending therefrom; a crank shaft journaled on the base parallel to the pivotal axis of the bars, said crank shaft having .a double throw at each links, each having one end thereof pivotally connected to one of the bars at the seat end thereof and the other end of each of said links swivelly' connected to corres onding throws on opposite ends of the cran shaft; a pair of horizontally disposed links each having one end thereof pivotally connected to the foot support on opposite ends thereof and the otherend of each of said links swiv- V elly connected to corresponding throws on opposite ends of the crank shaft; a shaft having a fly wheel thereon, journaled on the base parallel with the crank shaft; and meshing driving means on the flywheel shaft and crank shaft to .transmitrotary movement of the crank shaft to the fly wheel shaft.

5. An exercising machine including an.

elongated frame having a fixed'support for the hands and a movable support for the feet at one end thereof, and a support for thebuttocks at the other end thereof, an extension member connected to the frame adjacent the hand support and having the other end there of positionable'around the back part of the head of a by the head may be held stationary to peri 120 person seated ontheframe, wheremit' the legs of a person to exert a pushing a f pressure forwardly against the foot supports 1 I to cause movement of the foot supports.

6. An exercising machine including a base ;I r I a support for the'handsyat one end of the base; an elongated frame mounted/to rock intermediate its ends on said frame; asupport for the feet swingingly mounted on one JOSEPH 1). BELL,

California, this I 

